Here’s a fresh travel story from my recent weekend in Sierra de Guara, in Spain’s Pre-Pyrenees. Easier to reach than the high Pyrenees, this spectacular region is home to some of the country’s most unique hikes, dramatic canyons, and charming medieval villages.

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A Weekend in the The Pre-Pyrenees of Spain

Where is Sierra de Guara

Sierra de Guarra is a mountain massif in the Province of Huesca, in the north of the Aragon Autonomous Community. The full name in Spanish is Parque Natural de la Sierra y Cañones de Guara.

This stunning natural setting is located in the Pre-Pyrenees of Spain, the foothills of the famous mountain range. Nevertheless, in many guidebooks, you can find Sierra de Guara described as part of the Pyrenees.

Sierra de Guara is known as one of the most adventurous destinations in Spain. The altitudes of this natural park range from 430m to 2077m, with Tozal de Guara being its highest peak. While I have previously made a stop in Sierra de Guarra during my Aragon road trip, the area is worth spending at least a few days.

Where to stay in Sierra de Guara

One of the most important towns in the area is Alquezar, often mentioned on the list of the most beautiful villages in Spain. It is a popular place to stay for exploring Sierra de Guara.

Nevertheless, for this new trip to the Pre-Pyrenees, I have found a cute local flat Apartamentos Casa Vidal in Adahuesca (near Alquezar). Inside the rental we found a huge folder with all the hikes of Sierra de Guara (which was so handy).

Traveling to the Pre-Pyrenees of Spain

You can find more travel stories about the region under the hashtag Pyrenees. For a longer itinerary, you can combine this trip with my 10-day Itinerary from Madrid, 7-day Itinerary from Barcelona, and Aragon Road Trip.

Sierra de Guara is one of the highlights of the Spanish Pre-Pyrenees and is often included in a Pyrenees road trip. In the video below, I answer the questions readers ask me most often about planning a trip to the region, including where to stay, getting around, hiking, and much more.

My Wonderful Weekend in Sierra de Guara

Day 1 – Pasarelas de Alquezar

Pasarelas de Alquezar is a popular hike in Spain, but this does not make it any less impressive. It is a must-do in Sierra de Guara.

The trail is also called Pasarelas del Vero and it starts right in the picturesque small town of Alquezar. The route takes you to the stunning gorge via metal walkways. On the road, you’ll see tiny waterfalls and even a stunning cave Cueva de Picamartillo. The entrance fee is 4 euros per person and you get the tickets at the Tourist Office of Alquezar. Check out the details of the trail on the official web.

Last time I even explored Pasarelas de Alquezar with the kids, as a part of our Aragon Road Trip. So it´s a great hike for all ages worth repeating. You can check the views on IG Reels and TikTok. You can check out the route on Wikiloc.

Day 2 – Rodellar

While Pasarelas de Alquezar is well-established on the tourist track, the second hike of this weekend in Sierra de Guara, S3 Rodellar-Otin, turned out as a complete discovery and ended up on my list of secret Spanish hikes.

The trail starts in the small town of Rodellar and takes one through the Barranco de Mascun canyon towards the abandoned village of Otin and some of the best panoramic views of Sierra de Guara. At the beginning of the hike, you will even cross the river a few times (which I loved).

The whole route is around 12,9 km. Officially, it takes around 4,35 hours to complete, but in our case, it was 5,30 hours (not sure why). Here, you can check out the route on Wikiloc. Also, do not miss this IG Reel and TikTok video (since there are so many trails, it is hard to find the right one).

In the photo above you can see the sign where the circular part of the hike starts.

My recommendation is that you turn left and do the itinerary clockwise (following the sign towards Dolmen de Losa Mora). Almost all of the Spaniards we met on the go were doing it all the way around (as described on the Spanish blogs). However, this way, the last part of the itinerary will involve a steep climb. We felt so lucky doing it clockwise since at the hardest stage we were already descending.

Your next stop will be Dolmen de Losa Mora – a peculiar Prehistoric tomb built by the Neolithic shepherds more than 4000 years ago.

Halfway through this hiking trail, you will reach the abandoned village of Otin. Walking around this ghost-village was such a unique experience. Last people left it back in 1965 due to the lack of jobs and remote location.

By and large, for following this S3 Rodellar-Otin Trail, you will leave your car at Rodellar Parking (see Google Maps), then cross the whole village and follow the signs Sugerencia de Mascun / Otin. The trail will make you descend towards the famous El Delfin (the Dolphin window in the rocks).

At this point, you might need to take off your shoes and cross the river a few times. Many locals were wearing special waterproof boots, but hiking with those might be so annoying. So, I did not mind refreshing my feet.

After you cross the river, you’ll see the sign (check out one of the photos above) marking the beginning of the circular itinerary. At this point, go left towards Dolmen de Losa Mora. Afterward, follow the route to Otin and return to Rodellar.

Day 3 – Cogost de Montrebei

While this trip to the Pre-Pyrenees was primarily focused on Sierra De Guara natural park, it was also a great location to visit Cogost de Montrebei, a spectacular Spanish hike set in between the regions of Aragon and Catalonia. Travelers usually combine Cogost de Montrebei with a weekend in Lleida Province. However, the driving distance from Lleida and Sierra de Guara to Cogost de Montrebei is almost the same. So, we couldn’t miss a chance to visit.

You can read more about my visit to Cogost de Montrebei in this post. Note that the previous booking is required to do this hike.

More Hikes in Sierra de Guara Natural Park

Nevertheless, you have plenty of alternatives to Cogost de Montrebei, located right in Sierra de Guara Natural Park. Here are a few hiking trails that are still on my bucket list for future trips to Sierra de Guara:

• Salto de Roldan (check out the details on Wikiloc)
• San Martin Bal D´Onesa (check out the details on Wikiloc)
• Pacos de Morrano (check out the details on Wikiloc)
• Fuentes de Tamara from Bierge (check out the details on Wikiloc)
• Badina de Estañonero near Nocito (check out the details on Wikiloc)
• Puente de Pedruel from Rodellar (check out the details on Wikiloc)

Read more about the Pyrenees:

• Top Adventurous Things to Do in the Pyrenees (read it)
• Beautiful Small Towns in the Spanish Pyrenees (read it)
• Cogost de Montrebei: The Most Adventurous Hike in Spain (read it)
• Epic 7 Days in the Pyrenees of Spain (read it)
• 10-Day Pyrenees Itinerary: An Ultimate Road Trip from Madrid (read it)
• Hiking Trails in The Pyrenees You Can Not Miss (read it)
• Top Beautiful Places to Visit in the Spanish Pyrenees (read it)
• Exploring the Pyrenees of Catalonia (read it)
• 5 Epic Reasons to Visit the Pyrenees with Kids (read it)
• Top Romantic Things to do in Andorra (read it)
• The Spanish Pyrenees Road Trip 4-Day Itinerary (read it)
• Skiing in Spain: Our Baqueira Beret Family Getaway (read it)
• Top Things to Do in Andorra (read it)
• Hiking Guide to Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park in Spain (read it)
• Best Foods in the Pyrenees of Spain (read it)
• 3 days in the Pyrenees of Aragon with Seniors & Kids (read it)

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For more Spain travel tips check out my Pinterest board Spain Travel Collection and Flipboard Travel to Spain.

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